Dynasty Rankings: Running Backs
As explained in Thursday's Quarterback Rankings, I haven't updated my Dynasty league blog since before the draft. Since I'm finally getting around to mass updates, I'm rolling them out on Pancake Blocks one position at a time, with Running Backs on the agenda today.
A few notes of interest on the running backs:
1. As most of you know, I'm an unabashed Chris Johnson true believer. I make no apologies for his high ranking and firmly believe he's a special talent and a true nucleus player for Dynasty leaguers.
2. Tier two is a bottleneck. The last could be first and the first could be last. I'm perfectly willing to admit that the two top rookies may be too high, but the rest of the backs in that tier have significant questions preventing them from holding down true stud status. The rookies, though, have the talent and opportunity to be RB1s for a long time.
3. Clinton Portis is too low, I know. But I just have no interest in being left holding the bag when he falls off the cliff . . . and I get the feeling the cliff is coming like a freight train.
4. Darren McFadden is too high and Steve Slaton is being disrespected. Very possible. I think Slaton lacks staying power just as I believed that players like Willie Parker and Joseph Addai lacked staying power. McFadden still has a chance to be special.
OK, on to the rankings. . . .
RUNNING BACKS
Tier One
1. Adrian Peterson, MIN | Age: 24.5 | Value Score: 100
2. Maurice Jones-Drew, JAX | Age: 24.4 | Value Score: 98
3. Chris Johnson, TEN | Age: 23.9 | Value Score: 97
4. Steven Jackson, STL | Age: 26.1 | Value Score: 95
5. Matt Forte, CHI | Age: 23.7 | Value Score: 93
Tier Two
6. Frank Gore, SF | Age: 26.2 | Value Score: 87
7. Michael Turner, ATL | Age: 27.5 | Value Score: 87
8. DeAngelo Williams, CAR | Age: 26.4 | Value Score: 85
Tier Three
9. Knowshon Moreno, DEN | Age: 22.2 | Value Score: 76
10. Beanie Wells, ARI | Age: 21.1 | Value Score: 75
11. Marion Barber, DAL | Age: 26.3 | Value Score: 74
12. Brian Westbrook, PHI | Age: 30.0 | Value Score: 73
13. Marshawn Lynch, BUF | Age: 23.4 | Value Score: 73
14. Ronnie Brown, MIA | Age: 27.7 | Value Score: 72
15. Brandon Jacobs, NYG | Age: 27.2 | Value Score: 72
16. Jonathan Stewart, CAR | Age: 22.5 | Value Score: 70
17. Darren McFadden, OAK | Age: 22.0 | Value Score: 70
18. Steve Slaton, HOU | Age: 23.7 | Value Score: 69
19. Pierre Thomas, NO | Age: 24.7 | Value Score: 69
Tier Four
20. Clinton Portis, WAS | Age: 28.0 | Value Score: 62
21. Donald Brown, IND | Age: 22.4 | Value Score: 60
22. Reggie Bush, NO | Age: 24.5 | Value Score: 60
23. LaDainian Tomlinson, SD | Age: 30.2 | Value Score: 59
24. Kevin Smith, DET | Age: 22.7 | Value Score: 57
25. Ryan Grant, GB | Age: 26.7 | Value Score: 55
Tier Five
26. Rashard Mendenhall, PIT | Age: 22.2 | Value Score: 46
27. Ray Rice, BAL | Age: 22.7 | Value Score: 44
28. Derrick Ward, TB | Age: 29.1 | Value Score: 43
29. Shonn Greene, NYJ | Age: 24.1 | Value Score: 42
30. Felix Jones, DAL | Age: 22.3 | Value Score: 42
31. Willie Parker, PIT | Age: 28.8 | Value Score: 40
Tier Six
32. Joseph Addai, IND | Age: 26.3 | Value Score: 32
33. LeSean McCoy, PHI | Age: 21.2 | Value Score: 32
34. Cedric Benson, CIN | Age: 26.7 | Value Score: 29
35. Laurence Maroney, NE | Age: 24.5 | Value Score: 28
36. Larry Johnson, KC | Age: 29.8 | Value Score: 28
37. Thomas Jones, NYJ | Age: 31.0 | Value Score: 27
38. Willis McGahee, BAL | Age: 27.9 | Value Score: 26
39. Jamaal Charles, KC | Age: 22.7 | Value Score: 24
40. Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG | Age: 23.5 | Value Score: 22
41. Michaeal Bush, OAK | Age: 25.3 | Value Score: 20
Tier Seven
42. Darren Sproles, SD | Age: 26.3 | Value Score: 14
43. Andre Brown, NYG | Age: 22.7 | Value Score: 13
44. LenDale White, TEN | Age: 24.7 | Value Score: 12
45. Le’Ron McClain, BAL | Age: 24.7 | Value Score: 11
46. Fred Jackson, BUF | Age: 26.3 | Value Score: 11
47. Tashard Choice, DAL | Age: 24.8 | Value Score: 10
48. Leon Washington, NYJ | Age: 27.0 | Value Score: 9
49. Jerious Norwood, ATL | Age: 26.1 | Value Score: 9
50. Jamal Lewis, CLE | Age: 30.0 | Value Score: 8
51. Julius Jones, SEA | Age: 28.0 | Value Score: 7
Tier Eight
52. Jerome Harrison, CLE | Age: 26.5 | Value Score: 5
53. Earnest Graham, TB | Age: 29.7 | Value Score: 5
54. Chester Taylor, MIN | Age: 30.0 | Value Score: 5
55. Sammy Morris, NE | Age: 32.5 | Value Score: 4
56. Fred Taylor, NE | Age: 33.6 | Value Score: 4
57. Brandon Jackson, GB | Age: 23.9 | Value Score: 4
58. Justin Fargas, OAK | Age: 29.6 | Value Score: 4
59. James Davis, CLE | Age: 23.7 | Value Score: 3
60. Arian Foster, HOU | Age: 23.1 | Value Score: 3
Comments
Wess, I wouldn't take seriously anyone who combines Ronnie Brown and Donald Brown into a single running back called Ronald Brown. Godbron is only slightly less moronic than these rankings
Posted by: cochisewv | May 22, 2009 01:36 PM
I happen to like Donald Brown over Addai by a large margin and agree 100% with Wes.
Posted by: Hunter Malin | May 22, 2009 01:37 PM
I am glad you recognize that you have the rookies too high. At 15 they would be too high. Having them at 9 and 10 respectively is just outrightly foolish.
At best, they should be hovering at about 20. They are middle/bottom tier 4 running backs right now.
Posted by: Skip | May 22, 2009 01:37 PM
Yea I am sure you called it on Adrian Peterson, just like you did with Cedric Benson and William Greene. My 7 year old predicts a home run at every at-bat. Sometimes he is right, I guess.
Posted by: cochisewv | May 22, 2009 01:41 PM
veggie b,
Thanks for the feedback. Again, I think we agree more than we disagree.
I'm with you on Westbrook and actually had him ranked higher before pushing him down a notch or two.
Ward vs. Graham. My thinking here is that Graham has zero chance to be "the guy," but I could easily see Ward taking over as the primary back. I don't think it's as much of a hedging your bets situation as you're saying it is.
Posted by: Wess | May 22, 2009 01:42 PM
As theendzoneview stated on page 1, fantasy rankings are subjective anyways and dynasty rankings are even more so. Some guys can't face the reality that past perfomance doesn't equate to dynasty value. Dynasty Rankings are always rated for those looking ahead. Of course rookies are more valuable than 3rd year-3rd tier starters, BECAUSE THEIR CEILING IS HIGHER!
Posted by: michaelscott | May 22, 2009 01:48 PM
wess, i think your rankings are spot on again as usual. i love these kids who pop in here drop one liners on what an how idiotic people are and state how good they are. if you are that good, why do you need to tell everyone?
anway, everyone will always have a few gripes here and there as people may like one person a bit more than another. but you seem to have a great balance of the forward looking thought with rookies and younger backs mixed in with realistic views of aging veterans.
running backs are probably the hardest position to rank in dyansty circles as so much can change so fast. just look at ladanian last year as a consensus top back. there are countless more cases like this where value fluctuates quickly. that said, i think these rankings provide a great bearing to build a solid backfield that is capable of spelling quick unpredictable value changes that have and always will occur at rb in the nfl.
every dynasty team has their own needs and circumstances, but with a thoughtful look at these rankings you will build a good team. how many haters were there last year when wess was driving the chris johnson hype train? i can't hear you anymore!
Posted by: joeymitch | May 22, 2009 01:50 PM